For most racing events, races have been attracted two or three days beforehand, with previous performances coming out within hours.
However, for the Breeders’ Cup, with 14 races within two days, handicappers need slightly more time to think about their weekend wagers, and with this in mind, the Breeders’ Cup races have been attracted Monday afternoon in Louisville, KY.. This year’s event will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 3 and 2, in Churchill Downs.The centerpiece of this event is the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will take place Saturday evening, with an announced article time of 5:44 pm ET. The first retirement of Triple Crown winner Justify leaves a field of contenders that are not exactly household names, but with 14 horses entered without a clear favorite, the Classic will be a heck of a gambling race.
Have a look at gambling guides for Friday’s races and Saturday’s races and head over to Hello Race Fans for more information on wagering in general and this year’s Breeders’ Cup, including a look at the Distaff and Mile. In 2017 he earned a trip to the Kentucky Derby with a nose win in the Grade 1 UAE Derby, only to freak out shortly after the gate opened, bucking like a bronco and taking himself out of this race off the break. Until a few weeks ago, that was his only race in the United States; he moved on to a formidable career running in Europe and Dubai, winning this year’s Dubai World Cup by 5??3/4 lengths and the Grade 1 Prix Jean Prat in Chantilly. He seemed like a winner in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in late September, only to be nipped at the wire by longshot Discreet Lover, a horse he faces again. He has finished in the top three in 15 of his 20 races for earnings of $8.5 million; he is owned and bred by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai.
2) Roaring Lion
Owner: Qatar Racing Limited
Trainer: John Gosden
Jockey: Oison Murphy
Morning line odds: 20-1
This three-year-old Kentucky-bred is located in England, and he makes his first trip to the U.S. to run in the Classic. He eked out a neck win in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on October 20, and he’s never run on dirt, though he did get a six-length win over the synthetic trail at Kempton in September of 2017. So: he’ll be running on short rest; he is run on bud; and he travelled across an ocean. He has won $3.5 million, therefore his talent is nothing to overlook…but what a stunner it’d be if he could pull off this.
3) Catholic Boy
Owner: Robert LaPenta, Madaket Stables, Siena Farm, and Twin Creeks Racing Stables
Trainer: Jonathan Thomas
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Morning line odds: 8-1
This is a horse that more people should know about. His coach was an assistant to Todd Pletcher, who ruled the game before Chad Brown came together; an accomplished rider, Thomas suffered a devastating injury before turning to instruction, leaving Pletcher’s employ to strike out on his own. Catholic Boy started his career on grass, was changed to grime and won the Grade 2 Remsen, subsequently bled at the Grade 1 Florida Derby, sidelining him around the Kentucky Derby trail. Switched back to grass, he won the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, then cruised to victory in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes back on dirt. Versatile and talented, a win here would cap an incredible year which may involve some Republicans placing him on their ballot for champion 3-year-old.
g4) Gunnevera
Owner: Margoth
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr..
Morning line odds: 20-1
At one time considered among the leaders of the cohort, this four-year-old was a promising runner around the Kentucky Derby course this past year before tailing off if the big races came . He had been second in the Grade 1 Travers last year behind fellow rival here West Coast; he had been third in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic supporting the last year’s Classic winner Gun Runner and West Coast. He returned in a eighth-place ending in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in March to a five-month layoff, winning his first return at a small race at Gulfstream Park, then running secon
D to Yoshida (also entered here) at the Grade 1 Woodward in Saratoga. He gets a high jockey in Ortiz, also as this horse bought for $16,000 has earned $3 million, he still doesn’t have a lot to prove, however that Grade 1 win has so far eluded him.
5) Lone Sailor
Owner: G M B Racing
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Jockey: James Graham
Morning line odds: 30-1
Last March, a runner-up ending with a neck in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby stamped him as a rival for its spring/summer classics, but operating in top notch races watched him on the outside looking in the winner’s circle. He’s won only twice at a 14-race career: at Saratoga over a sloppy track in September 2017, and in late September when he won the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby. Founded by G M B Racing, the Thoroughbred operation of Gayle Benson along with her late husband Tom, owners of the NBA Pelicans and NFL Saints, he has accumulated earnings of $870,000 by conducting in big races and frequently hitting the board.
6) McKinzie
Owner: Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Mike Smith
Morning line odds: 6-1
Five races, four wins, 1 second. Back in the winter, he had been led towards Kentucky Derby favoritism until he got hurt and Justify appeared. After six months from the races, he came back to win the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby by 1??3/4 lengths, his first trip out of California. He faces a far larger test here than he did in the Keystone State, but it would be foolish to overlook him, given what he has accomplished. A decent conclusion this makes him a millionaire, as he has already got $900,000.
7) West Coast
Owner: Gary and Mary West
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: John Velazquez
Morning line odds: 5-1
Following a 2017 campaign that culminated with an Eclipse Award for champion three-year-old, this bay colt has run just three races this year, finishing second in all three of these, all Grade 1 races. He was third in this race last year, and also the talent of the $425,000 yearling buy is indisputable. He gets Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the saddle for the first time, his former jockeys having elected to ride elsewhere .
8) Pavel
Owner: Reddam Racing
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
Morning line odds: 20-1
His owner has a proclivity for seeing his horses after hockey players, especially Red Wings; Pavel [Datsyuk] joins equines Zetterberg and Nyquist, all owned by Paul Reddam. This one doesn’t quite live up to his namesake; he’s got three wins in 11 starts, but he’s managed to bank $1.3 million, and in June he won the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. Most recently he finished second–by 12??1/2 lengths–to fellow rival here Accelerate in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic. Probably outclassed here, but potential to hit the board.
9) Mendelssohn
Owner: Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Morning line odds: 12-1
He had been Aidan O’Brien’s Derby horse, shipping to the US following a stunning 18??1/2-length win in the UAE Derby in Dubai. He ran for the first time in Louisville on the first Saturday in May, finishing last on a sloppy track, but O’Brien persisted, sending Mendelssohn back to the U.S. three occasions: to run third in the Grade 3 Dwyer in Belmont Park; next at the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga; and also third in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup back at Belmont. Known for his incessant vocalizing during instruction and before the races, this $1 million purchase is a half-brother to the multiple winner Beholder, and has made $2.3 million into his 11 life races.
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